Healing Under the Mountain
by kitcat12
Summary: The Sequal to Healing. Thorin and Aimee deal with problems as they struggle to establish themselves as king and queen under the mountain. Must have read Healing to read this. Rated M for mentions of sex and rape flashbacks. Please do not read if you are triggered or do not like this content.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A/N: This is the sequel to my first story Healing. You should have read that one first to read this one.

Rated M for rape flashbacks and sexual content. You shouldn't read this if you don't like sexual content or are triggered by rape flashbacks.

Disclaimer The Hobbit belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Aimee was restless in the room that Dis had shown her to. She tossed and turned for an hour before getting up to find Thorin.

She couldn't believe the vastness of the place, it seemed to go on forever. She was about to give up and turn around when she nearly ran into him coming out of a room to her left.

"Thorin?"

"Aimee?"

"What are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep so I was going for a walk."

"I couldn't sleep so I was looking for you."

"Well you found me. Do you want to come along?"

"I would love to."

The couple linked hands and began their walk.

"You were just passing my room when I came out. You were in the family wing." Thorin said as they walked.

A male dwarf stood in the shadows watching the happy couple.

He was still bitter that Thorin had denied his request to go on the quest for Erabor.

His daughter had just come of age to marry.

Thorin would make a good husband for her and she would be able to bare him many heirs.

He didn't like this woman coming along to mess up his plans. So he decided to wait and bide his time.

He stood in thought long after the couple had disappeared around the corner.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Aimee awoke at her usual time the next morning and decided to go for her morning run.

She got lost trying to find the exit and spotted Balin coming around the corner.

"Good morning lass." He said with a smile.

"Could you show me outside?" Aimee asked

I would like to go on my morning run. I slacked off in the shire for a bit and would like to get started."

"If you are wanting outside, you are going in the wrong direction. You were heading to the kitchens. I'll take you." Balin led Aimee in the opposite direction.

"I want to get all of you on a good balanced diet and exercise schedule." Aimee said.

"I don't think that Bombur will like that." Balin said looking at her. A flash of anger came over her face.

"I don't care if he'll be happy about it. I'm doing this so he can be healthy. He won't feel left out if we all help him. When I am done with my run, we need to sit down and write up a diet plan and exercise schedule. Then I want to have a meeting with the company that set out with us. Will you help me?"

"Yes I will help" Balin said giving her a smile.

She kept remembering the line from the Fellowship of the ring that said Bombur was so fat that he needed 6 young dwarves to help him to his chair. That really scared her and made her determent to not let that happen.

A couple hours later, they found Thorin and Dis sitting down to have breakfast.

"I want to have a meeting with the company after we eat." Aimee said.

"Is there a room where we can talk?" " Thorin looked up from his plate and nodded.

"We have a room that we hold meetings in, it is by the throne room. We can meet there after breakfast."

After the meal, Thorin and Balin led Aimee threw the winding passageways to the room that official meetings were held in.

There was a round table with chairs arranged in a circle in the center of the room, it was quite bare of anything else.

"We can arrange it to look nice for you, just tell us what you want in here and we will get it. Balin has gone to find the rest of our company." Thorin said as he saw the disappointment at the bareness of the room.

"I would love to stay for this meeting but I have work that I need to do." Said Dis to the couple.

"We will see you later then." Said Aimee giving the female dwarf a smile.

.

The dwarves filed in, ready and alert.

Bombur came puffing in, last as usual.

Balin gave Aimee an encouraging smile.

"As you all know, I went to school to become a nurse" Aimee began as she looked around the table.

"One of the many classes that I took was on food and the health of your body. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do so I took some extra courses." "Well that's all good for you but what does this have to do with the rest of us?" Gloin asked beginning to get annoyed.

"I would like all of us to start on a diet and exercise routine" There was instant uproar as the dwarves began to protest.

Aimee held up her hand for silence and it fell.

"I didn't see anything that I would consider healthy at dinner last night." She stopped for a moment as her eyes filled with tears.

"I was deeply ashamed of all of you when I saw you throwing your food at one another like it was nothing. There are countries of children who go to bed hungry every night. There are kids who die every day because they don't get food." The dwarves gaped at her.

"Those children would eat every last crumb of food on that table if they were here. I want you to be a lot more thankful that you can sit down to a meal every day and stop being so wasteful with it. But most of all, I would like you to have good eating and exercise habits so you can be healthy."

Aimee got up and left the room leaving a shocked room of dwarves behind her.

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter. The story will pick up in the next Chapters.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Thorin watched her go. He couldn't rap his mind around what he heard. Children dying every day because of lack of resources was unthinkable to him. He suddenly realized how lucky his people were. He promised himself that none of them would would go without food or water if he could help it.

Aimee came back a few minutes later and sat back down.

"I'm sorry, I just had to compose myself," she said.

"Have you thought about what I asked?"

"I think it's a great idea," said Oin.

"I quite agree, my brother really needs it." Said Bofur punching Bombur in the shoulder.

"I am perfectly fine." Bombur said glaring at Oin, Bofur, and Aimee.

"No you're not," said Bofur and Aimee together.

"You eat far too much." Thorin added looking at him.

"I didn't train as a nurse for 4 years just to watch somebody I care about eat themselves to death." Aimee said her temper finally breaking.

"We want to help you." Said Balin a bit more calmly.

Bombur looked at all the concerned faces around him and nodded in agreement.

"Balin, would you read out the exercise schedule that I came up with?" Aimee asked the dwarf.

Balin picked up the piece of paper and read.

"We will begin with a 15 minute cardio workout that consists of fast walking, jogging, or running. The cardio workout will be followed by a series of stretches and strength training. We will gather outside at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning." The dwarves began to grumble at this.

"Thorin, what would happen If I changed the time to later in the morning?" Aimee asked losing patients.

"It would interfere with the work that still needs to be done around here." Thorin answered. Aimee smiled at him and picked up her piece of paper.

"Here is a food chart that I have written up" said Aimee

"everything marked in green is food that we should eat more and everything marked in yellow is food that we should be eating less of."

Dwalin gave one look at the chart and scowled.

"I don't like green food" he said.

"Well, you will just have to learn." Said Aimee.

"I think we are in agreement" said Thorin as he got up.

The other dwarves nodded and filed out of the room.

"Thorin, I need to talk to you for a minute," said Aimee as the dwarf was about to leave.

Thorin waited until the last dwarf had left before shutting the door and sitting down beside her.

"A few years back, I went to my gynecologist, which is a doctor that specializes in the health of women, well I went for my appointment and she said that I was infertile do to a hormone imbalance. I can't have any children," said Aimee.

"But in your journal, you wrote that you weren't pregnant from your rape." Said a confused Thorin.

"Some memories and experiences can be so traumatic that a person blocks them and forces them in the back of their minds." Said Aimee looking at him.

"Why don't we continue this conversation outside?" asked Thorin as he took her hand.

"the fresh air will do us both good.'

They made their way outside giving distracted greetings to the dwarves that passed them. They made their way to a secluded spot and sat down on the blanket that Aimee brought. Thorin uncovered the basket of food. There was cheese, fruit, and a bottle of 1296 wine that Bilbo had given her before she had left the shire.

"This wine was passed down by Bilbo's father." Said Aimee as she poured it.

"He informed me that he would throw mushrooms at me if I didn't take care of this." Thorin and Aimee ate their lunch in silence.

"Do you still love me?" Aimee asked him.

"Yes of course I do" he said lifting her chin.

Their lips met as their tears fell for the children that they couldn't have. Neither of them noticed the dwarf leaving his hiding spot where he had been listening.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The weeks passed into months as life settled in Erabor. One Friday evening, Thorin decided that it was time to show Aimee the throne room.

They walked down the twisting passages, the tapping of their feet on the stone floor was the only sound that accompanied them. Thorin stopped at a doorway and turned to her.

"Would you like to be queen and rule beside me?" he asked.

Does this mean that I have to run the home while you get to go to meetings and other functions? I only see one throne here" Aimee said as she looked into the room.

"No, I don't want a wife who stays home while I have to do everything. I want a queen who will be next to me and who will voice her own decisions and opinions. You changed my views on women" Thorin said stepping beside her.

"I was used to seeing women stay at home while the men do all the work and that was how I viewed their role in society." He was silent for a moment, then he continued.

"Then you came along and showed me what the women in your world are like. When I came to the Shire, I thought you were Bilbo's wife." Aimee smiled and hugged him.

"I would love to be queen" she whispered and kissed him.

"It won't be easy for you, some of the men in court will think it's unacceptable for a woman to work out of the home but me and my company will do everything we can by helping you. I will not cage you. If it gets to stressful and you need to go on a vacation as you put it, just tell me where you want to go and I will make the arrangements." Thorin said smiling at her.

Aimee grinned and entered the throne room.

"Holy hell this place is huge" Aimee said and was startled to hear the echo coming back to her.

"Yo da la he hu" she said to test it.

"I'm queen of the world!" She grinned as her voice bounced off the walls.

Aimee stamped out the beat and began to sing I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts.

"Well Thorin, this has been fun but I'm going to see Bofur." She said when she was done. Thorin smiled after her as she skipped from the room.

Aimee found Bofur outside. He was leaning against a tree holding two figures that he had just whittled.

"What are these?" she asked him. Bofur grinned at her and passed them over.

"These are you and Thorin" he told her.

Aimee gaped at the figures. They were mirror images of their counter parts.

"They look just like us" said Aimee.

"I thought that you would like them" Bofur said with a smile. Aimee took the wooden figures and stood them up.

She placed them in the starting positions of a dance."They are very nice Bofur, thanks." Bofur smiled at her.

"I was glad to do it" he said returning her smile.

Kebur watched from his hiding spot as the woman skipped away. He didn't want this wild woman as queen.

She was just a commoner, a tavern haur that Thorin had brought for the company's pleasure.

His scowl grew deeper as Thorin began to sing the horrible song that the woman had sang earlier.

Yes, his daughter would make a good dutiful wife for Thorin. The dwarf waited until Thorin disappeared around the corner. He looked to see if anyone was coming. When the hall was still silent, he crept into Thorin's study and placed the Marriage contract that his and Thorin's signatures that he had carefully written onto the desk and walked away.

The peaceful stillness of Saturday morning was shattered by two roars of pure rage, the echoing slam of a door, and the sound of feet pounding the stone floor as Thorin and Aimee ran through the corridors, faces white with rage and the contract in their hands.

A/N: I found the dwarf name in a Lord of the Rings name generator.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Thorin and Aimee stormed into the dining hall, dwarves scuttling out of their way. They sat themselves into chairs at the head of the table and served each other's breakfasts.

Thorin dished out a small bowl of porridge and stirred in a table spoon of honey and some cinnamon. He put two slices of toast with honey on each onto a small plate and poured a cup of black coffee. Aimee put two poached eggs on a plate with a small slice of ham. She selected a small bowl and filled it with mixed fruit. Then she poured a cup of tea and added a teaspoon of honey.

They swapped dishes and began eating. The normally good food tasted like cardboard, but they stubbornly ate for the energy they would need for the tough day ahead. Baling and Dwalin exchanged worried looks.

"I hope they didn't get into a fight" Dwalin said glancing at the cold fury on the couples faces.

"If they did, do you really think they would be sitting together or serving each other breakfast?" Baling asked.

"No, but I really wish they would move to a different table, they're ruining breakfast for the rest of us" Dwalin said scowling at them.

There was a loud scraping of chairs as Thorin and Aimee got to their feet.

"Oh you do?" they hissed, standing shoulder to shoulder as they towered over Dwalin. The dwarf shrank from the identical looks of fury they shot at him. Turning, they stormed from the room leaving their half eaten meals behind them. They found Kebur and his daughter waiting outside the study.

"This doesn't concern you" he shot at Aimee as they entered the room.

"I think that it is my concern since I am courting Thorin." Aimee said glaring at the short dwarf.

"Oh yes, I bet you were quite pleasurable to the company. Tell me Thorin, where did you find such a woman? I could use one to warm my bed at night." Aimee reached up to twist his arm but a hard fist connected with her cheek. She froze as his hands came around her neck. All thought left her as she was pushed to the wall. With a roar, Thorin lifted him off her and threw him against the opposite wall where he lay unconscious. Then he took the contract and threw it into the fire where it burst into flame.

"I'm going to get an ice pack." The female dwarf said to Thorin.

He nodded at her as he knelt in front of Aimee. Their bodies shook as they clung together, both of them stuttering out words of comfort.

The female dwarf returned with the ice pack and two mugs of tea. Aimee took the ice pack and put it to her cheek. The shock gradually wore off as the couple sipped their tea.

""I need to find Bofur and explain what has happened." Said the woman as she got to her feet.

The couple watched her as she disappeared down the corridor.

"I'm going to do some tap dancing. I'm way out of practice." Said Aimee, giving Thorin a kiss.

"I'll show you later" she continued as she walked out the door.

Balin and Dwalin walked down a corridor. They had a good day at the forge and were ready for a pint of ail. They spotted Aimee coming out of her room carrying a pair of shoes.

"What are those lass?" Balin asked.

"I'm about to do some tap dancing, I've had a very stressful day and I need to unwind." Said Aimee. Balin was interested in watching but Dwalin sent her a nasty look and stormed off for some ail. This was too much for Aimee. She burst into tears and crumpled to the ground.

Balin took a good look at her and gasped.

"Oh lass, who did this to you?" he whispered through his own tears. Aimee told him about the marriage contract and the events that had happened that day.

"Thorin is probably talking to him now." Aimee said as she concluded her story.

"I'll talk to my brother" said Balin wiping his eyes.

Aimee smiled at him wiping her own eyes as he walked away.

Balin found his brother in the dining hall glaring at the plate of vegetables in front of him.

"I need to talk to you." Balin said to him.

"Gladly, I hate all this green food." His brother replied.

"You should be grateful, she is only trying to make us healthy." Balin said as they began their walk.

""She is a nice woman once you get to know her" he continued.

"She just wants us to feel sorry for her. I think that she and Thorin wanted to have each other. I heard them moaning in their sleep sometimes when we were on our journey."

Balin and Dwalin whirled around when they heard yelling.

"I don't want to!"

"Get him off me!" Thorin and Aimee had been listening to their conversation. Balin tried to bring them back to reality but their yells of

"I don't want to!" and, "get him off me" continued.

"You stay here, I'll go and get some help!" Dwalin yelled to his brother over the noise and ran down the corridor.

Balin grew alarmed when they began to lash out at invisible foes. He threw himself between them when they came close to striking each other. He didn't cry out when their blows fell on him. The physical pain was nothing compared to the pain that was inside him.

"Hurry back brother." He said as he slid down the wall, curling himself into a ball. His cries of fear and helplessness as he let out his tears, mingled with the couple's continuing yells.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Thorin and Aimee lay on their sides facing each other. The only sound in the tiny cell was the blending of their voices as their duet of pain and terror continued. Aimee could feel Thorin's naked body pressed against her own.

"Aimee" he whispered. No, it wasn't him.

"It isn't real." It was Dwalin. She felt a hand stroking her cheek and reality came back to her slowly.

"Yes, that's it." Dwalin said, his voice choked with tears.

"Where is Thorin?" Aimee asked him.

"He is in the next room " said Dwalin.

"We had to separate you, you were both rather violent and you nearly injured each other" he said gazing at her.

"Balin told me that he had to sit between you so you wouldn't hurt each other."

"We didn't hurt him did we?" Aimee asked him.

"Nothing that won't go away by tomorrow. Don't worry about it" said Dwalin.

"It's been a long day, I think I'll sleep now" Aimee said.

Dwalin smiled at her and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The next morning, Aimee woke up rested and refreshed. She met Thorin in the hallway. He was carrying a picnic basket under his arm.

"I thought we would go on a picnic." He said, taking her hand.

They grabbed her purse, tap shoes, and their harps.

"Is there a place where I can show you some tap dancing?" Aimee asked.

"There is a hall where we host parties and entertain ourselves. It is just ahead." Thorin replied, leading her down a winding passage. They found themselves in a huge hall with torches hanging in brackets in the walls and plenty of space.

"This is perfect." Aimee said looking around her.

Thorin sat himself against one of the walls and watched as Aimee took off her regular shoes and put on her taps. She started off slowly to warm up and sped up as her rhythms got more difficult.

"I could never do any of that." Thorin said gazing at her.

"Oh you could, it takes years of practice but it's great fun." Said Aimee with a smile.

They grabbed their stuff and went outside. Thorin set out the blanket and they ate the fruit and vegetables and drank water.

After eating, they decided to go for a walk. After an hour, they stepped over a tree root and the air changed, growing warmer.

Aimee stopped dead when she saw her car on the distant road..

"I can't believe it, we're back in Colorado." Aimee said looking at Thorin.

The two of them stood there for a minute letting everything sink in. They drew their weapons when they heard a whisper of footsteps.

"Peace, it is I, Elrond" said the half elf stepping beside them.

"I was taking a walk when I stepped over a tree root, I guess we arrived at about the same time" he continued.

Aimee ran with the other two behind her until she reached her car.

"Well" she said as they stood together.

"We have a lot to do, so let's go." She led Thorin to the passenger side of the car and showed him how to open the door. When he was in, she showed Elrond the same for the back door.

She opened the trunk and carefully stored the two harps inside. She got in and shut her own door."Now, you need to put this on in case of an accident." She said demonstrating the seatbelt.

"Luckily, I'm a good driver and I haven't gotten into one yet" she said spotting the alarmed looks on Elrond and Thorin's faces.

"You don't need to cover your ears but when I turn this key, it will make a loud noise." The two men let out startled yells as she turned the key."It's all right, it's just the engine" she said, making sure that their seatbelts were buckled.

"We're off" she continued as she drove down the stretch of road away from the campsite and onto the highway.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Aimee parked her car in the parking lot of her apartment building. She got out and opened the doors for the two men.

She led them up a flight of steps and stopped in front of her door, fishing her keys out of her purse.

"Please take off your shoes." Aimee said before opening the door. The men obeyed her and she put the three pairs of shoes on her shoe rack."First things first." She said as they sat down on the couch.

"All of us need haircuts and you need to shave your beard Thorin." The dwarf looked very angry at this.

"No." he said coldly. "Men in this country don't ware beards. You will stand out and people will stare at you. Aimee said, trying to calm the dwarf down. He responded by giving her a nasty look.

Aimee burst into tears and ran into her room where she slammed the door and lay on her bed weeping.

Elrond was startled to feel Aimee's pain as if it was his own. He simply couldn't fathom why he was also weeping. Aimee was the one that Thorin had hurt.

He gave Thorin a very cold look and went after her. He stopped at the first door and knocked.

"Come in." Aimee said. Elrond entered the room.

He sat down on the bed facing her with their knees touching.

Elrond and Aimee grew alarmed as an unseen force drew them together. They drew closer to one another until their foreheads met.

Aimee was on the playground playing hopscotch with a little boy.

Elrond was in the midst of battle with Sauron's forces.

Aimee listened as her friend told her that he was gay.

Elrond and Celibren were getting married. Many elves cheered as they kissed.

Aimee was handed her high school diploma. Her classmates cheered as she threw back her tassel.

Elrond's children came into the world, one by one.

Aimee was taking her nursing exams.

Elrond was concentrating on removing the poisonous blade from his wife.

Aimee's clothes were torn off and her virginity was taken from her.

Elrond was sobbing his heart out into his wife's pillow. She had gone to the Grey Havens so she could be healed.

Many more memories flooded each of them. They soon knew everything there was to know about the other.

Their eyes snapped open and they gazed at each other.

Elrond's eyes widened as he heard Aimee's voice in his head.

"What the fuck just happened?" Aimee's wide eyed expression matched his as his voice answered her in her head.

"I think that Vilya might have forged a link between us. I felt it's power grow wen I came into your room."

"Do you still like me?" Aimee asked out loud.

Elrond felt her uncertainty threw their link and was quick to tell her that he did.

"This will be quite interesting." Aimee said to him silently.

They smiled at each other as their thoughts mingled together. They fell into an exhausted sleep and were woken an hour later by a very angry dwarf standing over them.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I would like to know why you are in Aimee's bed" Thorin said glaring at Elrond.

Aimee felt Elrond's anger rise through their bond.

"Why don't you explain in the living room " Aimee said to him.

"I need to check and see If I have any replies to my résumé." Elrond nodded and guided Thorin from the room.

They sat down on the couch while Aimee put on her headphones to listen to some music.

"We can apparently hear what the other hears" Elrond said to Aimee.

"To put it simply, my ring Vilya has created a link between Aimee and I" Elrond said to the dwarf.

"We found ourselves receiving each other's memories until we knew everything about each other. We can talk to each other and share thoughts and emotions, and I think that we can hear what the other is hearing. I can hear Aimee's music but she was putting on headphones when we left." "I can hear your conversation, even though I am in a different room." Elrond relayed the message to Thorin who gaped at him.

Their heads snapped up as Aimee gave a yell of joy.

"I've got a job interview tomorrow at 9 o'clock in the morning." Aimee said as she walked into the room. Thorin and Elrond smiled at her as she sat herself between them. Just then her cell phone rang and the men jumped.

"It's all right, it's just my phone ringing." She said both mentally and out loud.

"Hello." Aimee said after she pressed the talk button.

Thorin watched as both Elrond and Aimee grew angrier and angrier until Elrond looked like the mighty elf lord that he was, and Aimee looked ready to rip someone's head off.

"What is it?" Thorin hissed into Elrond's ear.

"Aimee's friend Johnny's parents kicked him out of the house all because he would rather court a man than a woman" said Elrond, his voice cold with rage.

"That's despicable" Thorin said, also growing angry.

"He is on his way here." Aimee said as she hung up her phone.

Elrond got to his feet and went into the kitchen.

"I asked him to make a pot of tea." She said to Thorin as she showed Elrond how to work the electric tea kettle.

"Are you happy having this link with him?" Thorin asked her.

"Yes, I love it." Aimee replied smiling at him.

"Well, as long as your happy, I am" said Thorin, giving her a kiss which she returned.

Elrond entered the room with the teapot which he sat on the coffee table just as the doorbell rang.

Aimee went and answered and returned with a blond haired and blue eyed young man.

Aimee made the introductions while Elrond poured out the tea.

Johnny listened as Aimee told how she got to middle earth and the events that happened there. Then she moved onto the recent happenings.

"So now you share a link with Elrond half elvan, lord ofImladriss? That's so fucking awesome. Elrond is such a bad ass"

Elrond, Thorin, and Aimee listened as he rambled on about the elf lord's epicness.

When he was done, he turned to Thorin.

"You better not hurt her" he said, giving him a hard look.

"I swear to you that I will not hurt her" said the dwarf, giving him a serious look.

"Let's order some pizza, I don't feel like cooking" said Aimee, reaching for her cell phone.

"How about a large supreme" said Aimee as she dialed Pizza Hut's number. The men nodded their agreement.

"Yes, I would like to order a supreme… no, I don't want any bread sticks… Yes, I would like it delivered thanks."

"The bread sticks cost too damn much anyway" she said as she hung up her phone.

"What movie do you want to watch?" Aimee asked Johnny.

"Happy Gilmour" he responded. Aimee got up and put in the DVD.

The pizza arrived 15 minutes into the film. When the Endless love sceen came, Thorin smiled.

"That was the song that you sang with Bofur when we were at Beorn's: he said to her.

Aimee smiled at him and kissed him.

"Maybe after my job interview, we can go ice skating" said Aimee.

"That would be so fun, I would love to see Elrond ice skating" said Johnny with a grin.

Thorin and Elrond agreed on the plan.

"This is good pizza" said Elrond. Aimee smiled at him.

Thorin and Johnny roared with laughter as Happy and Bob Barker got into their fist fight.

'Oh man, that's the best part of the movie" said Johnny.

Elrond and Aimee just smiled at them as they went back to their mental discussion about modern medicine. They were quite glad when the movie ended. They were still tired from the day's events.

"Do you and Thorin mind sleeping in the living room?" Aimee asked Jonny.

"No we don't, you and Lord Elrond should go to bed, I will handle the sleeping arrangements here. The two of you look exhausted" said Johnny as he looked at their tired features.

"Thanks." Aimee said, giving her friend a hug and Thorin a kiss.

They went into their rooms and were asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillow."They looked so exhausted" said Johnny to Thorin as he lay out their feather mattresses.

"Well, they just discovered that they have a link and they had to watch each other's memories. They have both been through a lot."

'I will be surprised if they don't wake up from nightmares" Johnny replied as he settled into bed.

"We will just have to be there for them if they do." With that, the two of them fell asleep and were woken by twin screams a couple hours later.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Thorin ran to Aimee's room, yelling for Johnny to make some hot chocolate over his shoulder. He found her thrashing on the bed, tangling up the bed sheets.

She was muttering words that he couldn't make out. He leaned closer to hear them.

"Cast it into the fire. Destroy it." With a thrill of horror, Thorin realized that she was dreaming of an event in the elf lord's long past. He was glad that he didn't share a link with anybody.

Aimee's eyes snapped open. She sat up and her gaze traveled around the room and found Thorin.

"Oh thank goodness" she said looking into his blue eyes.

"That was a horrid dream." She swung her legs over the bed and stood up.

Thorin took her hand and led her to the dining room.

"Johnny has made hot chocolate for you and Elrond" he said as she sat down.

"I am going to get him now" he added as he left the room.

Elrond and Thorin entered the room a few minutes later and sat down. Johnny came over with the hot chocolate and poured it in two mugs.

They sipped at the drink as their dreams played through their shared minds.

They went back to bed a few minutes later.

Aimee woke to the smell of cooking pancakes.

She met Thorin in the hallway and grinned at him.

"You and Elrond are in for a treat." Aimee said as she ran into the living room.

"Johnny makes the best pancakes in the world." She continued as she sat down beside Elrond.

"It's ready!." Johnny yelled as he put the pancakes on a platter.

Aimee smiled as Johnny put two pancakes on her plate. They were topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar. Elrond and Thorin thanked him and began eating.

"You will need your strength for the job interview" said Johnny as she finished her plate.

"Yes, I need to get ready." Aimee got up from the table and went into her room to change into the proper clothes.

Elrond listened as Aimee mentally went over questions and answers for the interview.

He was amazed at what was involved during a job interview. Aimee ran into the living room and grabbed her car keys off the coffee table.

She ran out the door after making sure that Johnny would take the other two to get clothes and haircuts. Thorin finally promised that he would get his beard shaved.

Elrond sent feelings of calm through the bond as Johnny led him to the bathroom for his hair cut.

"How is she?" Johnny asked as he took out the scissors.

"She is nervous." Elrond said as he lent forward.

"She is afraid that she won't get the job." Johnny nodded as he began to cut the black as midnight hair.

Elrond listened as Albukurkey by Weird Al began to play.

"What a strange song" said Elrond as the list of doughnuts started.

"What song is it?" Johnny asked him.

"Albukurky by Weird Al" said Elrond.

The song ended just as Aimee was parking.

Elrond was surprised as he saw her get out of her car.

_I can see you._

Holy cheese cake, I can see you too. Tell Johnny that he needs to cut your hair a little more on the right _side. Elrond nodded and refocused on the bathroom while Aimee did the same in the parking lot._

_Elrond told Johnny of the latest developments._

"_You can see what the other sees?" asked Johnny looking amazed._

"_Yes we can if we focus" replied Elrond._

"_Wow, that's insane. Just think of what you can do, you can be each other's second pair of eyes if you need to. If Aimee is having trouble finding something, you can tell her where it is." Johnny grinned at him._

"_You better not spy on her when she's in the shower." Elrond gave him a withering look while Aimee listed many threats._

"_She said that you should probably sleep with one eye open tonight" said Elrond._

"_I was just joking, the look on your face was priceless. I know that you wouldn't stare at a woman in a bathtub." Johnny said as he was getting close to where he wanted to stop cutting._

_Elrond focused on Aimee as she entered the office. He watched as she shook hands with a middle aged blond haired woman and sat down._

_He refocused on the bathroom and listened to the interview. He was amazed at how many questions there were._

_Five minutes in, Johnny announced that he was done. Elrond was amazed at his shorter hair._

_It felt a lot lighter now. He went to the living room and sat down._

"_Johnny is ready for you" he said to Thorin. The dwarf withdrew his gaze from the window and went into the bathroom._

"_Hair or beard?" Asked Johnny as he Entered._

"_Beard" said Thorin. He eyed the strange object that Johnny held with a nervous look._

"_This is an electric raiser. It will get the job done a lot faster than a regular raiser will" said Johnny turning it on._

_He hoped that he would never have to deal with another electric raiser for a while. He hated the wining noise that it made and he was glad when it was finally over._

_He gazed sadly at his beardless face. All that work in growing it and now it was gone._

_Johnny began cutting Thorin's hair. By the time he was done, they heard Aimee unlocking the door as she came in._

"_She is going to call me next week. She has to interview another applicant tomorrow" said Aimee as she put her purse on the coffee table._

_She went into her room to change into more comfterble clothes._

"_Let's see how you two look" she said when they were all back in the living room._

"_You both look a lot different without your long hair and your beard." She said to them._

"_Johnny, could you please take them shopping for clothes? I'm tired and I don't feel like shopping." Johnny smiled at her and picked up his car keys._

_Thorin and Elrond smiled at Aimee as they left the apartment._

_A/N: When they mind speak, it will be in italics._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Aimee awoke to the sound of the doorbell.

Johnny, Elrond, and Thorin came in and put the clothes in the guest room dresser.

"The two of you will have to share a dresser." Johnny said, putting the socks and under garments in the two top drawers.

"That's fine, I can get what I need before I sleep" said Thorin.

_I didn't think that I would ever see the day when a dwarf and an elf would ever get along._

We are in your world now and the differences between dwarves and elves don't exist. It would be childish of us to bring them up and it would cause stress for you.

Thorin and I discussed the matter while we were at the mall, he told me about Tauriel and how she helped you escape from Mirkwood. He said that he is trying to let go of his grudge and so am I. Aimee smiled as she went to make herself some coffee.

_That is good news. I wouldn't have put up with it if you started arguing about your past._

_Thorin entered the kitchen as she was pouring coffee beans in the grinder._

"_What are you making?" He asked her._

"_I'm making coffee. Do you want any?"_

"_I'd love some." He said as she pushed the grind button._

_She put the coffee in her French press and poured the hot water on top. She put on the lid, making sure that the plunger was up._

_When it was done, she pushed the plunger down and poured it into two coffee cups._

"_Here is the sugar and cream. Put as much as you want in it." "Oh and this." She added, taking out the Irish cream._

"_This makes the coffee taste even better." She poured a little into each mug and put it in the fridge._

_Thorin put a teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of cream in it and they mixed it._

_They went into the living room and sat together on the love seat._

"_So do you want to go ice skating? Aimee asked as she finished her coffee._

"_I think that we will, but Johnny said that he needs to stay home and study." Aimee nodded and went into the kitchen to put the coffee cups in the sink._

_A few minutes later, Thorin, Elrond and Aimee were driving to the ice skating rink._

_It took them a few minutes to find skates for Elrond and Thorin, but they got them eventually._

_She showed them how to put on the skates and they were ready._

"_Now, let's just practice walking." Said Aimee, slowly getting up._

_She showed them how to balance properly. Thorin got up too quickly and fell._

_The dwarf scowled as he excepted his lover's hand . He pictured the dwarves laughing at him._

"_It's all right, you have on different foot ware so it will feel new." Aimee said, leading him back to the chair._

"_Just remember, bend your knees slightly and keep your feet closer together." He was more successful the second time and managed to stay on his feet while she helped Elrond.  
They got the hang of balance and walking, so she led them onto the ice, making sure they stayed close to the wall._

_Aimee soon learned that Elrond and ice skating didn't mix. He would start off fine and he would gain some confidence and start going faster, but it seemed that ice skates didn't agree with him and he would fall._

_After the 7__th__ fall, he decided that he would rather watch, so Aimee led him off the ice and he put on his shoes._

_Thorin fared better. He fell a few times but he slowly improved._

_The couple skated together for a couple of hours. They would have skated longer, but her cell phone rang._

"_Hi Johnny, what's up?" Aimee said as they walked over to Elrond._

"_You'd better come home. Something bad has happened. I just heard it on the news." Aimee was at the counter at this point, handing their skates to the kind woman behind it._

"_I'll tell you when you get back." Johnny was saying._

"_All right, we are leaving now." She hung up the phone and rushed them to the car.  
Johnny opened the door to the apartment and they sat down on the couch._

"_Erick has broken out of prison." Aimee sat there for a moment. She then bolted to the door and ran out, slamming it behind her._

_Johnny got up to go after her, but Thorin raised his hand._

"_No, she needs time to process this on her own" said Thorin. Elrond nodded in agreement beside him._

"_So you're just going to let her go off on her own with a rapist on the lose? I thought that you cared for her!" He glared at them._

_Thorin was on his feet in a flash. He stood over Johnny, shaking with rage._

"_How dare you!" He roared, jabbing his finger into the man's chest._

"_I'll have you know that we care for that woman. You have no right to suggest that we don't. Have you forgotten that she and Elrond are bound together? He would know if she was in trouble the second something went wrong." The dwarf sat back down, glaring at Johnny._

_Elrond was also glaring at him._

"_We are just going to wait here until she is ready to return." He said as he watched her enter the small Mexican restaurant._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Aimee smiled at the waiter who brought her enchilada dinner. Aimee took a sip of her margarita.

_I'm going to bring you and Thorin some margaritas. They are quite tasty._

_That sounds nice. What interesting music._

Aimee took a bite of rice.

_It is called Mexican music. When Aimee was done eating, she signaled to the waiter._

"_Can I have two margaritas to go? I have a couple of friends who want one."_

"_Yes you can." He returned with the drinks and accepted her tip._

_She went to the counter and paid for the meal. She went outside and started walking home. She was at her apartment door and was about to put her key in when a pair of hands grabbed her._

_Elrond felt her fear along with his own as he told Johnny the situation. Johnny picked up the phone to call the police._

_Elrond listened as the police showed up a few minutes later. He watched as a male officer tackled the man to the ground while the female checked on Aimee._

"_Can I drive you home?" She asked her._

"_I live here in these apartments. This is the man that raped me." Aimee said to the officer._

"_Well don't worry anymore." The officer said as Aimee put her key in the door._

"_We are going to take him to a prison so far away that he won't be able to escape or do this to you or anybody else. You just go home and relax while we take this bastard away." Aimee smiled at her as she opened the Dorr._

_All she wanted to do now was watch a movie with Elrond and snuggle with Thorin._

_Johnny gave her a hug as she entered._

"_Will you guys be all right while I go on a date with Matthew?" Asked Johnny._

"_Yeah we'll be fine" said Aimee smiling at him. Johnny gave her one last hug and headed out the door._

_Aimee sat down on the couch and handed Thorin and Elrond their drinks. They both enjoyed the margarita._

"_I have an appointment with my therapist this Saturday. Will the two of you come with me? I would like to tell her what's been happening."_

"_Are you sure that is wise?" asked Thorin._

"_She might tell somebody."_

"_No she won't" said Aimee._

"_They have a code where they can't reveal what a client says to them."_

"_All right then. We will come with you."_

_The only other eventful thing that happened that week was that she got a call from her interviewer saying that she was to be at the hospital Monday morning. She had her nursing job._

_On Saturday morning, Elrond, Thorin, and Aimee drove to Linda's house._

_She opened the door and smiled at them._

"_I see that you have friends with you. Why don't you come on in." They followed her to her office and sat in a row on the couch._

"_So what has been happening with you?" Linda asked._

"_It's a long story." Aimee said, looking at her._

"_Tell it to me" said Linda._

_Aimee told her everything except for the time in the goblin cell. When she was done, Linda looked at her shocked._

"_Do you have any proof of this? Anything that you can show me to back up your story?"_

"_It is in my car" said Aimee as she left._

_She returned with Orkrist and handed it to her._

"_This is Orkrist, the goblin cleaver. Sword of Thorin Oakenshield." Linda took the sword and looked at it._

_After a minute, she handed the sword to Thorin._

"_This is amazing" she said._

"_I'm not done yet" said Aimee. She explained with Thorin's help about the time in the goblin cell and about the bond with Elrond._

"_So you can hear what the other hears?" asked Linda looking at them._

"_I'll need to test this before I can believe you" Elrond nodded and went outside._

"_What do you want us to do?" Aimee asked._

_Linda handed her a piece of paper._

"_Elrond, I want you to describe to me what color hair and eyes I have." Elrond nodded and looked._

_Linda read the piece of paper that Aimee handed to her._

"_That is right. Are you sure that you didn't ever tell him what I look like?"_

"_I am sure" said Aimee._

_They repeated the exercise with Aimee standing outside and Elrond sitting in the chair. They did a few other things until Linda was finally convinced._

"_That is amazing. Are you happy with it?" Elrond and Aimee nodded their heads with smiles on their faces. After promising them that she would not say anything, they continued with the session._

"_Now Thorin, why don't you go with Elrond so that Aimee and I can talk" said Linda._

"_NO!." Yelled Thorin and Aimee together, glaring at her._

"_We do this together or not at all" said Aimee._

_Linda smiled at them._

"_Good, I'm glad to hear that. Apart from being a rape counselor, I am also a couple's counselor." She reached into her desk and took out a teddy bear._

"_This bear represents the people or things that harmed you in the past. I want each of you to talk to it as if you are talking to that person from your past." Thorin got up and grabbed the bear. When he was sitting once more, he looked at it._

_An image of Smaug in his terror replaced the bear._

"_You!." He bellowed, his eyes dark with rage._

"_You took everything from me, my father, my grandfather, and my home. I watched as you burned homes and tore families apart. Aerabor is now reclaimed but you still haunt me in my dreams. I want you gone from me!." With that, he threw the bear at Aimee, who caught it in her arms._

"_You fucking bastard. How dare you tell me that you love me and then take my virginity away. That was not enough for you though was it. You escaped from prison and tried kidnapping me. I am glad that you are going to a prison far from here so you cannot do it again. I hope that you stay there forever and that when you die, I hope that you burn in hell you fucking bitch!." She threw the bear against the wall._

"_You did good. I'm proud of both of you." Linda said, smiling at them._

"_I think that we did good today, I will see the two of you next Saturday." They were about to leave when they heard a screaming argument. Thorin and Aimee shuddered at the hateful words that were being spewed and the cold anger in the couple's voices as they screamed horrible things back and forth to one another. What they heard next made them break down._

"_I don't want the brat! She's your problem not mine!." They gasped._

"_I can't have any children." Aimee said before she and Thorin burst into tears._

"_Come on, I'll take you upstairs to my room so you can cry." She whispered, leading them from the room._

"_You just cry for as long as you need to." She said to them before closing the door behind her. They clung together on the bed as their wails of grief filled the room."Office. Now." Linda barked at the angry couple. They got up and followed her._

"_Why don't they shut up!" The man snapped as the couple's harmonized cries reached their ears._

"_I'd like to shut you up." The woman hissed._

_Linda closed her office door behind them._

"_I don't ever want to hear an argument like that in my house again. If you insist on bringing your arguments here, go outside where other people don't have to hear them. You have greatly upset a couple that I am working with."_

"_You won't be hearing anymore arguments from us. We came to tell you that we are getting a divorce. We can't seem to make it work." The woman said looking at Linda._

"_I don't get it though, they love each other. I could see it in their faces." The woman continued._

"_I'm afraid that it is not my place to tell." Linda said glaring at her._

"_I'm sad that you couldn't work things out. I hope you can try to be civil to one another for the child's sake at least." The woman gasped horrified._

"_Oh my god, that's why they are upset. Can they not have kids?" Linda's eyes grew hard._

"_I suggest that you keep your nose out of other people's business" she said._

_She led the couple outside and watched as they drove away. She went back into the house to check on Aimee and Thorin. They were asleep on the green quilt, shivering from the cold. Linda put a blanket over them and looked at their tear stained cheeks and the tear tracks on the pillow that they were sharing._

_She backed from the room and closed the door, deciding to make lasagna for dinner, It always helped her after a long cry._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Thorin and Aimee woke to the smell of cooking lasagna.

They followed the smell and found themselves in a beautiful kitchen with a view of the garden.

"I am going outside to talk to Elrond." Aimee said, giving Thorin a kiss. She found him sitting on a garden bench and sat beside him. Elrond was reading her copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Aimee moved closer to Elrond as he turned the page to Chapter 3.

They bent their heads together so that they could both read.

"Those Dursleys are terrible parents." Elrond said with a scowl. Aimee nodded her agreement as she turned the page. When they got to the part where Dudley was showing off his Smeltings uniform, an image of Dudley in his uniform was being passed between them. They read Uncle Vernon's reaction and burst out laughing.

Thorin and Linda looked out the window at them when they heard the laughter.

"What on earth could be so funny?" Linda asked as their laughter grew.

"It looks like they are reading a book" said Thorin, looking at the object that they were holding.

"It must be a good one to make them laugh like that." Linda said as the laughter died down as they returned to the book. Thorin looked at them and grew sad at how he acted when they were in Rivindell.

"What are you thinking about?" Linda asked, noticing his look.

"I was thinking about how poorly I treated them when they first met in Rivendell when we were on our quest." Thorin said to her.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Linda asked him.

Thorin nodded and turned from the window.

"It was the third day of our stay in Rivendell."

Thorin walked down the halls of Rivendell. He was trying to avoid Aimee and Bilbo since their argument the night before. They had the audacity to tell Elrond that the three of them would sing in the hall of fire.

It would be a cold day in hell before he sang in front of elves. He saw Aimee and Elrond standing together in the next corridor talking. He spotted a pillar and went behind it so he could see and hear what they were doing.

He listened as they began to sing an elven song. In spite of himself, he was amazed at how well their voices blended.

Aimee took a hair tie out of her pocket and handed it to Elrond. When she had a good look at his hair, she began to braid it.

It was a style that Thorin was not familiar with. When she was done, Elrond gave her the tie and she tied the French braid.

They switched places so that Elrond could braid her hair.

"What do you think you are doing?" Thorin asked them, coming from behind the pillar.

Their song was halted as they got to their feet.

"How long have you been standing there?" They asked.

"I would like to know what you were doing." Thorin said, anger creeping into his voice.

""I believe you know exactly what we were doing." Said Elrond, glaring at the dwarf.

"I hope you haven't forgotten whose house you are in?" Aimee asked, her own glare quickly matching the Elf lord's.

"Braiding hair is a courtship custom used by dwarves who are courting." Thorin snapped.

Aimee and Elrond exchanged disbelieving looks and began laughing.

"Let me get this straight." Aimee said.

"You actually think that Elrond and I are courting?"

By this time, Gandalf and Bilbo were on their way to the hall of fire. They stopped just inside the corridor when the laughter began. They exchanged curious looks at the scene in front of them. They grew worried when they saw the angry expression on Thorin's face.

"what on earth has him so angry?" Bilbo hissed at the wizard.

"I don't know, but I think we are about to find out." Gandalf said to the hobbit.

Elrond and Aimee stopped laughing and straightened to their full heights.

"For your information. Lord Elrond has a wife. I do not have any romantic feelings towards him." Aimee said, her anger reappearing.

"I think that you are lying." Thorin said coldly, his anger getting the better of him.

I think that the two of you are secretly courting so that your wife does not know. That is if you even have one. Where is this lady of yours hiding?"

Gandalf and Bilbo exchanged horrified glances in the brief silence that followed.

Bilbo was shocked to see the fury coming from Elrond and Aimee. Their faces were red and their eyes were cold as steel.

Gandalf was about to go and talk to Thorin but Bilbo stopped him.

"Wait." Gandalf stopped to look at him.

"They need to sort this out on their own. We can interfere if things get worse." The wizard nodded at Bilbo.

The silence was broken as Aimee and Elrond began shouting at the same time.

"How dare you accuse us of such a thing!. You are just like every other man I have met. My ex lover did the same to me and a male friend of mine.

You need to stop and think of the people that you are speaking to!. Not only have you insulted me, you have also insulted Lord Elrond.

He has been nothing but kind to us ever since we came here!. You have some serious issues if you think that we would do something so terrible!." Thorin just stood there, looking from one to the other.

"I can't believe that you would think that I would do such a thing to my wife! In addition, especially with one of my friends!.

I love my wife more than anything in this world. It is none of your concern where she dwells.

It saddens me that after I have given you a place where you can rest and receive my council, you would go behind my back and say such things.

I hope that you realize the error in your judgment of Lady Aimee and me. After all, she is supposed to be your friend!.

It is sad that your opinion of her could sink so low."

When they were done speaking, Elrond and Aimee gave Thorin looks of pure fury and stormed past him down the corridor, arm in arm.

Linda listened to the story in amazement.

"Gandalf gave me a very angry lecture after all was said and done. I don't think I've ever seen him so furious before." Said Thorin, looking out the window.

"I eventually apologized and they forgave me. I would not blame them If they did not. I did cross a line by saying such things."

"Well, that part of the story is over, I need to get the lasagna out of the oven." Linda said, going into the kitchen.

Back in the garden, Elrond and Aimee had just finished Chapter 3 and were now talking as they looked at the flowers.

They were thinking about their first meeting.

This is beautiful." Said Aimee as she led her pony over the narrow bridge. The elves smiled warmly at her.

"hurry up!" she yelled at the remaining dwarves.

"let's go. Let's . Let's go!." She yelled, jumping up and down.

"We're coming!" the dwarves yelled as they struggled across the bridge.

"Don't mind her." Said Gandalf, giving Aimee a sharp look.

"She's just excited about meeting Lord Elrond." The elves just laughed merrily and took her by the hand.

"Well in that case, if everybody is here, we'll lead you to him." As soon as the last dwarf crossed, the two elves with Aimee between them led the way.

"I am Ellidan and this is my twin brother Ellrohir." The former said with a smile.

"We are Lord Elrond's sons."Elrohir added.

"My name is Aimee and where I come from is a long story and I don't feel like going into it at the moment." She gave an evil grin.

"Do you want to learn a song from where I come from?" The twins nodded.

Aimee's grin grew wider as she sang The Song that doesn't end. After the second time, the twins joined in on the song.

By the seventh refrain, they were laughing hysterically.

The three of them stopped in front of the doorway to catch their breath and wait for the rest of the company.

Thorin scowled as he spotted Aimee with the Elvin brothers. He wanted it to be his hand that she was holding.

The company followed the trio to where Elrond was waiting for them.

"Ada I would like for you to meet Lady Aimee." She blushed as she looked into his grey eyes full of wisdom and the many years that he lived.

"Hi handsome." She blurted out.

She whirled on Thorin as he glared at her.

"What!. I was just telling the truth." She took a deep breath and rambled on.

"He's quite the looker. That hair, those Eyes that face. I mean, who wouldn't want that for a husband? He is one sexy stud muffin."

There was a stunned silence in which Thorin's face grew even darker and Bilbo looked at her in horror. It was broken as one by one, the dwarves began laughing at her. Even good kind Balin was laughing.

She took a look around her and fled to the nearest room. Gandalf's disapproving glare and Thorin's cold eyes were the last things she saw as she slammed the door and buried her face into her hands. She knew that Elrond would not want a girl like her in his house. The look on Thorin's face shattered her heart.

Elrond glared at the dwarves around him.

"Ellidan, Elrohir, will you lead them to the dining hall? I will be there in a bit." The twins nodded and beckoned the company to follow them. Thorin shot one last icy glare over his shoulder as he passed the elf lord.

"I am sorry for her behavior." Gandalf said as the last dwarf disappeared around the corner.

"She shouldn't have spoken to you in such a manner. Why don't you go to dinner and let me talk to her. I'm sure she will think on her words and apologize to you." "No." Elrond's voice was sharp as he turned to the wizard.

"I shall talk to her. You will only make it worse." Gandalf just nodded at him.

"Very well, I hope that she will regret her foolishness." Gandalf was not expecting the look of anger in Elrond's eyes.

"I do not know why she said what she said, but that does not make her foolish. I do not think that she intended to say it. Did you look at her face as she passed?

She was quite embarrassed do not know what a stud muffin or what sexy mean, but I could guess well enough by the blush on her face."

Gandalf nodded walked away.

Elrond headed to his study. He could not understand why she said all of those things. There was something strange about the woman and he hoped he would learn her story.

Opening the door, he found her gazing out the window. He walked across the room and stood beside her.

She was wearing some strange garment and a shirt that said

"Doughnuts, is there anything they can't do?"

"Lady Aimee, why did you say all those things to me?" Aimee looked into his eyes. There was compacion and warmth in them.

"It is a rather long story" she said.

""I would like to hear it" he replied, leading her to a chair across from his desk. He sat across from her at his desk and waited.

She told him about the rape, her first therapy session, and how she got to Middle Earth. She then told an interested Elrond about how this world was a fictional story made up by Tolkien.

"Can you prove this?" Elrond asked.

"I know about Aragorn." At this, Elrond got up and began pacing.

"I know about his past and his future. His code name is Estel and he lives here with his mother Gilreen. Elrond gave her a disbelieving look, which made her loos her temper.

"I suppose you think I am some mad woman who is making this up!" She yelled, jumping up to face him.

"I do not appreciate being shouted at in my house." He said coldly. She ignored him and went ranting on.

"I told you this because I thought you would be the one person who would believe me!. But I guess I was wrong about that.""Who have you told about Estel?" Elrond asked.

"Who do you think I would have told? Do you really think I would be stupid enough to tell suca story?"

By this time, she had reached the door with her hand on the knob. Elrond's hand on her shoulder made her turn around.

She did not see Elrond when she looked at him. She saw Erick looming over her.

"Get off me you fucking son of a bitch!" she yelled.

Elrond removed his hand from her shoulder and she wrenched open the door and ran down the hall before he could do anything.

Elrond's shock wore off and regret replaced it as he ran after her. He followed her to one of the balconies and watched as she clutched the railing as tears streamed down her face.

She slowly turned when he called her name. He saw regret and pain in her eyes when she looked at him.

"I'm sorry." They said at the same time.

"I shouldn't have spoken to you in such a manner in your home."

"I should have believed your story. I also shouldn't have passed judgment on you."

They looked at each other and nodded.

"I also know about your wife and what happened to her." Elrond nodded, a sad smile on his face.

"I know about the You know what, made by You Know who." Aimee said, leaning in to whisper.

"How much do you know?" he asked her.

"I know just as much as you do."

Aimee went on to tell him about the crush that she used to have and how seeing him brought back those memories and her outburst.

"What is a stud muffin?" Elrond asked.

"If you ever come to my world, you'll find out." Elrond just sighed and figured that it would not be wise to know.

"Let us get some food. I bet you are hungry." The elf lord said.

"Yes I am." Aimee replied as they started making their way to the dining hall.

Elrond and Aimee smiled as the memory receded.

"What is a stud muffin?" Aimee sent him an image of a person with a group of women trying to get his attention.

Elrond looked shocked.

"With your looks, you're bound to get some female attention." Aimee said with a teasing grin.

"It's time for dinner you two, come and get it while it's hot." Linda said, poking her head out the door.

Laughing, they went into the house to eat dinner.

"What were the two of you reading that was so funny?" Linda asked, serving the lasagna.

"We were reading Chapter 3 of harry potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Aimee said after swallowing her lasagna.

"I like the Harry Potter books" said Linda.

"I'm going to let Thorin read it also." Said Aimee. The dwarf looked interested.

When dinner was done, Thorin and Elrond offered to help with the dishes but Linda waved them away.

"Oh no you don't. You are my guests. Go and read that book." Linda said, waving them towards the living room.

Thorin sat in the recliner with the book in his hand and began to read.

Elrond picked up The Fellowship of the Ring. Aimee ran over and snatched it from his hand.

_Do not read that. Aimee yelled._

It tells the future of your world.

_Elrond looked shocked._

Please, put it somewhere so I will not be tempted to look at it.

Aimee ran into the kitchen with the book under her arm.

"Elrond just found this." She said to Linda, showing her the title. The woman looked alarmed.

"Did he read it?" she asked.

"I got it out of his hand before he could. Thank goodness for the bond we share, or otherwise I wouldn't have found it." Linda sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness indeed. Put it in the top desk drawer in my office." Aimee scampered to the office and threw it in the drawer, slamming it shut.

Checking her watch, she gasped.

"its 7 o'clock" she said, coming into the living room.

"I'm sorry Linda, we'd better get going. My friend is probley worried about us." Linda smiled at her.

"All right, I'll see you for our next session."

Thorin marked his page and followed the other two out to the car. As soon as they were on the road, he resumed reading the chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Aimee's alarm clock rang on Monday morning. She and Elrond woke up and got dressed for the day.

They met in the kitchen where Aimee made them bowls of granola. Thorin came into the kitchen a few seconds later and sat down at the table.

Thorin watched them. He was interested in seeing how they interacted with each other. He was amused when they both grabbed the milk jug at the same time. They seemed to be having a conversation over who would refill her milk glass. Elrond seemed to have one the argument because Aimee let go of the jug so that he could pour the milk.

Nothing else really happened until Aimee went into the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink. She was opening up the cabinet door to retrieve the coffee grinder when it smacked her in the forehead. Elrond and Aimee let out yells of pain.

"What happened?" Thorin asked the elf lord.

"The cabinet door hit Aimee on the head" said Elrond.

"are you telling me that you could feel her pain?" Thorin asked looking astonished. Elrond nodded as Aimee stormed into the dining room.

"Well, so much for me having coffee." Aimee said, snatching her car keys from the table.

"I'd better run before I'm late."

Aimee was on the road a few minutes later. She had to swerve to avoid a catolack that tried to come in her lane.

"Why don't you stop putting eyeliner on and start watching the road asshole?" Aimee yelled punching the car horn.

Elrond and Aimee were relieved when she reached the hospital a few minutes later.

Aimee walked into the hospital. She saw a red haired woman beckoning to her.

""Ms, Davis, I'm glad you are here. My name is Janet and I will be your supervisor." The woman said, leading her down a corridor.

""You will be stationed in the Er. If you have any questions, just ask and we will do our best to help you."

Elrond watched as Aimee entered the ER. He was amazed at the amount of activity. Men and women were rushing past her. Some went to get medicine while others were talking to doctors.

Aimee and Elrond were pulled from their thoughts as a patient on a stretcher was rushed in.

"Are there any trauma nurses here?" asked a paramedic.

"I am a trauma nurse" said Aimee. The man beckoned her forward.

"We have an MVA, his name is David. He appears to have head trauma and has trouble breathing."

"Let me have a look" said Aimee.

\Together, she and Elrond took a good look at the teenager on the stretcher.

"Our patient does indeed have head trauma." Aimee said to the paramedic, pointing to the man's dilated pupils. The man gave a quick nod.

"Yes, I see the bruising behind the ears." The man began to gasp for air.

"I need a breathing tube stat!" Aimee yelled. A woman rushed over, handing her the tube.

"Sir, can you hear me?" Aimee asked, bending over so he could here. The teenager nodded at her.

"Can't breathe" he gasped.

"I know, but don't worry." Aimee gave him a reassuring smile.

"I am going to give you a breathing tube. This might hurt a little all right?" David nodded, looking terrified.

Elrond watched as she made the incision and inserted the tube.

"He has a broken leg" said Aimee, turning to the paramedic.

"He has multiple fractures."

"We need to get him into surgery." The paramedic said.

"Sir, it appears that you have a broken leg." Aimee said, bending over the teenager.

"You will need to have surgery to fix it. Do you need us to call anybody?"

"Could you call my parents?" The teen asked.

"They will need to sign the forms." He beckoned to his book bag.

"My cell phone is in there." The paramedic found the phone and made the call.

"Are you in any pain?" Aimee asked.

""Yes, my leg really hurts" the teen whispered.

"I'll go get you something for that" said Aimee.

"I'll be back in a second. Just hang in there for me all right?" David gave her a tired smile.

She returned a minute later.

"I have some morphine for you. It will help with the pain." The teenager nodded as she put the IV into his vain.

A woman rushed into the ER a few seconds later.

"I am his mother. Could you tell me what happened to my son?" The paramedic explained the situation to the woman.

"David, I need to go look after more of my patients. I'll check on you after the surgery." Aimee said to the boy.

"I'll see you later" he replied.

The most trying part of her day came an hour before her shift ended.

A small boy of about 7 was rushed in. Aimee's professional mask nearly slipped when she saw the burnt body in front of her.

Elrond was also having trouble keeping his emotions in check. He watched numbly as she desperately tried to save the boy's life.

"He is dead" she choked out after checking his pulse..

"It was a house fire" said the paramedic.

"What about the parents?" Aimee asked.

"The mother died in the ambulance. The father is on the way now."

A man with brown hair burst through the door and stopped at the sight of the body. The cry of grief would stay with Elrond and Aimee forever.

"Aimee" said Janet.

"Why don't you go home and get some rest?" Janet asked, looking concerned.

"I'm sorry for not being much help right now" said Aimee guiltily.

""I know I'm not handling this very professionally."

"Nobody here is blaming you. It is always sad when a patient dies. You did everything that you could to try and save that boy." Janet gave her a hug.

"Does it get any easier?" Aimee asked her.

"No it doesn't" she replied.

"Don't worry about it anymore. Go home and get some rest." Aimee nodded and left the building.

Elrond opened the apartment door and Aimee stumbled in.

They went to her bedroom and sat on the bed, letting their jumbled thoughts and clashing emotions race across their bond.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Where have you been?" Thorin asked glaring at Aimee. She swallowed her bite of sandwich.

"I've been at work." Thorin scoffed at this.

"For 12 hours?" Aimee nodded at him.

"I want you to come home earlier in the day."

"I can't just take off work whenever I feel like it. My patients need my care."

"And I need a woman who isn't gone half the day. Who is going to fix dinner?" Aimee couldn't believe where this was going. She shot from her seat and glared at Thorin.

"I really don't need your sexist arrogant shit right now. You are perfectly capable of fixing your own damn dinner. Elrond would be happy to show you how to work the stove.

What am I supposed to tell my boss eh? Oh I'm sorry Janet, I need a couple hours off because my boyfriend is too lazy to fix his dinner and help around the house!" Thorin saw red.

"You forget who you are speaking to girl" he growled, grabbing her wrist. Aimee and Elrond let out hisses of pain.

"I hate to break this to you Mr. Oakenshield" said Aimee, twisting her arm free.

"We are in my house and I don't take orders from assholes. You are just like every other man I have dated. I thought you were different but I should have known.

You are just another insecure woman hating bastard who gets his kicks by ordering them around."

Thorin's rage clouded his senses and his hand connected with her face with a loud smack. Aimee staggered back and would have hit her head on the table, but the elf lord caught her.

"Our relationship is over." Aimee's voice was as cold as ice.

"I do not date men who hit women. Elrond and I are leaving." Elrond looked every inch the elf lord as he gave Thorin a very cold look. His ageless face was full of cold fury. As one, he and Aimee stormed down the hallway and into the two bedrooms to pack their belongings.

They emerged a few minutes later, carrying two bags and her harp.

"Johnny should be home in a few minutes. You can tell him what happened and that we are staying at Linda's house." Thorin watched as they left. What he had done was finally sinking in.

His family would have been ashamed of him. He didn't think that he would ever hurt a woman. He felt even worse knowing that it was the woman he loved that he hurt.

"Oh Durin, what have I done?" Thorin asked, a tear sliding down his face.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Thorin sighed as he looked at the device in his hand. It was Friday evevening. He and Johnny had just finished their 4 cheese hamburger helper that Thorin had cooked.

"This is the only way you will be able to work things out" said Johnny, glaring at him. Thorin nodded and pushed the call button.

He nearly dropped it when he heard a ringing coming from it.

"Hello?" said a voice on the other end.

"Is this Linda?" Thorin asked.

"Yes it is. I think you'd better come over. Something has happened to Aimee and Lord Elrond."

"What happened?" Thorin asked urgently, beginning to pace the apartment.

"All either would tell me is that it is gone" said Linda.

"What is gone?" Thorin asked.

"I don't know. They are quite upset though. They've been sitting in the garden, holding each other. Pleas, I don't know how to help them."

"I'll be right over" said Thorin. Thorin handed the phone back to Johnny.

"We need to go to Linda's" said Thorin. Johnny grabbed his car keys from the table.

Thorin told him about the conversation as they drove. Linda opened the door for them.

They found Aimee and Elrond huddled together on the couch. The other three made their way to chairs across from them.

"Could you please tell us what is wrong?" Linda asked. Elrond and Aimee raised their heads. Thorin nearly gasped at the pure anguish on their faces. They began speaking at the same time.

"One at a time" said Linda, holding up her hand.

"I can't understand a word you are saying."

"our bond is gone" said Aimee.

"Vilya's power is beginning to wane" said Elrond.

"This world is beginning to decay. The air is poisonous. I miss the site of trees and clean air."

"I'm sorry" said Aimee.

"I was so caught up in my excitement of being home that I didn't think of the ramifications of you being here." Elrond put his hand on her shoulder.

"I don't blame you. I enjoyed seeing your home and watching you at your job. Don't feel bad for wanting to be home."

"We need to go back to Middle Earth" said Aimee.

"I'm just beginning to realize that this world isn't my home anymore. I don't enjoy working 12 hours a day and worrying about the next bill that needs to be paid. My world has all this wonderful technology and yet, life is much harder in some ways and people aren't as happy. We are afraid of mingling with each other for many reasons. So we cover up our loneliness by buying the latest I phone and watching the next episode of Jersey Shore. I don't want to live like that anymore. I want to be Aimee, Queen Under the Mountain." Thorin smiled sadly at her.

"I hurt you. I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"I know that you didn't mean to. Linda told me that you called to apologize to me. I'll give you one more chance. Don't mess up this time." Thorin smiled at her.

"I swear by Durin's beard that I won't hurt you again. Did he ever hit you?"

"Yes he did" said Aimee.

"I don't want to be like him" said Thorin sadly.

"You are nothing like that bastard" said Aimee.

"We shall leave tomorrow" said Thorin. Aimee smiled at him.

"I think that Lady Galadriel might be able to help us reform the bond" said Aimee to the elf lord. Elrond nodded his head in agreement.

"Very well" said Thorin.

"I'm going to miss you Aimee" said Johnny, giving her a hug.

"So will I" Aimee said.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is it like now that the bond is gone?" Linda asked. Aimee and Elrond squeezed each other's hands.

"There is an empty feeling like something is missing." They said together.

"We'll do everything we can to get it back" Thorin said to them.

"We need to get some sleep. We'll be leaving in the morning."


End file.
